


Color by Numbers

by DramaticGarbage



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Human AU, Lamp - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Soulmate AU, Tattoo AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-13 21:57:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16900572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticGarbage/pseuds/DramaticGarbage
Summary: Everyone has a tattoo that lets them know when they found their soulmate, but Logan's doesn't seem quite right.





	Color by Numbers

Everyone had a soulmate. Everyone had a tattoo somewhere on their body, one that was just a simple black outline. When they met their soulmate, their tattoo would come to life in beautiful bright color, the color that matched their soulmate’s spirit. Everyone… Except for Logan. His tattoo, a stack of thick books on his left forearm where he couldn’t easily ignore it, was completely filled in with black. He’d never seen, or even heard of, anyone else with a tattoo like his. Anyone he’d ever seen had a black outline, either filled with color or empty and waiting for their soulmate’s vibrant shade. But where could the color go if his tattoo was filled?

Logan had spent a fair amount of years in his youth being frustrated about his apparent lack of a soulmate. But as he got older he had somewhat come to terms with it. He didn’t need to bother with this whole ‘soulmate’ nonsense. He was perfectly happy with his life and how things were. He’d even gone on a date or two over the years, deciding that if a relationship was something he wanted, not having a soulmate shouldn’t stop him. None of those had ever panned out, but that had nothing to do with anything, really. That just wasn’t what his life was going to be for now.

For now, Logan’s life was structured. Specific. He had a schedule and he stuck to it. He woke up at the same time, did the same things, it worked for him. Today was Saturday, which meant that before he was going to head off to the library, he stopped at his favorite coffee shop to get a cup of coffee. He arrived at the same time, the barista knew his order, large cup of black coffee - no frills, he swiped his card, he left. But, of course, today couldn’t be a normal day like every Saturday had been for what felt like forever, but in reality was probably closer to a few years. As he turned the corner onto the street where said coffee shop was located, he saw that the lights were off and there was a sign in the window. With an eyebrow raised, he walked up and read it, learning there had been a leak and the shop had flooded, but the repairs would be complete within a few days. That was all fine and well… But Logan still wanted his coffee. Pulling out his phone, he searched for the nearest coffee shop that was still on the way to the library.

Strolling off, he found himself in front of an unfamiliar shop, already grimacing at the sound of the music coming from within. The reason he enjoyed his preferred establishment was due largely in part to the fact that it was straight forward. The cup sizes were small, medium, and large. He didn’t have to learn any fancy sounding words to receive his beverage. But he could already tell this wasn’t going to be the same sort of place. Exhaling slightly, he pushed the door open and was greeted by a chipper barista as he glanced around and let his eyes travel across the interior. There were a few other customers inside, Logan paying no mind to anyone and just quickly moving to the register.

“What can I get for you, today?”

“A large black coffee, please.”

“A venti black coffee?”

“…Yes.”

“Would you like cream?”

“No, thank you. Black, please.”

“Would you like sugar?”

“No. Thank you. Black. Please.”

“Would you like room for cream?”

“No. Just black. Black coffee. Please. Thank you.”

“Sure thing! Coming right up! Can I get a name for your order?”

“…Logan.”

“Alright, thank you, Logan!”

Logan paid, trying not to get frustrated at the interaction which included for too many words for his liking, moving to stand near where his coffee would be placed when ready, looking down to check his watch to see how off schedule he already was for the day. But the combination of him, looking down and walking, as well as a stranger who was checking his phone also looking down and walking, led to a slight collision. He felt himself walk straight into another person, immediately stopping and going to take a step back, but feeling the other person go to grab and steady him out of concern. They were left standing there, the other man’s hands holding Logan’s forearms, and as he looked up he felt a strange tingling sensation on the inside of his arm… Where his tattoo was.

Logan looked up and his eyes locked with the handsome stranger, only registering how handsome he was for half a second before looking back down and flipping over his arm, eyes going to try and justify the tingling he felt. The man let go of him, pulling his hands away quickly. But all Logan could focus on was his soulmark. The black stack of books… One of them had turned red. A single red book in the stack of black… A beacon of vibrant color amongst the darkness. He brought his forearm up to his face, closely inspecting it. Along the spine of the now-red book, written in black, was a title. He leaned in to try and make out what it said, seeing in tiny calligraphic script it read “The Prince’s Adventures.”  
  
So many thoughts were running through his head. He had a soulmate? After years of believing he didn’t, and coming to terms with that, he suddenly did. This man he had met… Because he changed up his routine. Who he may have never met if he hadn’t. He had so much to think on.. But for now, maybe he should address the man in front of him.

Now, if Logan had been paying attention, he would have noticed the handsome man had placed a hand on the right side of his chest. He would have realized he was doing the same thing that he, himself, was doing. It may have occurred to him that he was feeling that same tingle. He might have even heard the soft sound of something hitting the ground. And then he would have had some inkling of a warning to what he was going to see when he looked up. But.. he had not been. And therefore was caught completely off guard when he finally looked up and saw… The gorgeous, handsome, muscular stranger… Had apparently dropped the backpack he had been carrying to the floor… And then immediately pulled his shirt off and was now holding it in his hand. His gaze trained on a beautiful now-navy blue rose tattoo that was sitting there… right on his large right pec.

If there was ever a moment that confirmed to Logan that he was, without question, very very gay… It was this exact moment. He was staring, heart beating wildly as he did his absolute utmost to focus on that tattoo… And not the chiseled torso it so fetchingly adorned. He wasn’t sure when the stran- No. His soulmate. When his soulmate, had reached forward and taken his arm so he could look down at Logan’s tattoo.

“Oh this is really cool! I love your tattoo!” He said, smiling down at the stack of books, still completely, distractingly, wonderfully shirtless.

“………What? I’m sorry. What?” Logan forced himself to look up, locking eyes with this man, training his  ~~gay~~  gaze on his chocolate brown eyes.

His infuriatingly attractive soulmate laughed softly, holding out a hand to shake his. “I’m Roman.”

Logan blushed softly, returning the gesture and shaking his hand in greeting. “Logan. Nice to meet you.” He cleared his throat softly.

It was at that moment that one of the baristas came up to the bar with Logan’s coffee. “Coffee for Lo- …Roman. Put your damn shirt on. Now.”

Roman laughed again, a deep warm genuine sound, starting to pull his shirt back on. “Sorry, Rem. Got excited.”

“Yeah well, get excited somewhere that isn’t the middle of my coffee shop during the breakfast rush.” The barista exaggeratedly rolled his eyes and then sat a drink down next to Logan’s on the bar. Roman laughed, grabbing his backpack and then his drink, turning back to Logan.

“…Do you have time to sit and chat a while?” He asked, his voice hopeful.

“I..” He hesitated. He had a schedule he kept, he spent Saturdays in the library. He should… “Sure. I’d rather enjoy that.” He smiled and grabbed his drink as well, the two of them going over to a table in the corner, settling down to talk.

He wasn’t sure how long they talked for, seeming to try and learn everything about each other. While they didn’t seem to have a lot of literal things in common, it became apparent that they shared a passion for their interests. They both admired they way the other’s eyes lit up when they spoke, finding that they both had a spark that was completely infectious and spurned on the other. This did lead to a bit of a mischievous streak for both of them, finding each other easy to rile up and get into more of a debate than a conversation.  

They didn’t know where the morning had gone, not realizing that they had spent just about all of it sitting and chatting. They did have to part ways at that point, of course exchanging information and vowing to meet up again soon. For the first time in what was definitely multiple years, Logan had found something more than worth integrating into his schedule.

Roman and Logan had been happier than ever to have found each other, getting together when they could. Normally dinners, but they did generally make sure to meet up for a morning coffee just about every Saturday, that new coffee shop growing on Logan once Roman’s barista friend started expecting him and having his order ready. It went on for a few months, them settling happily into their new normal.

—

Roman had a new play he was preparing for, the majority of his work was in community theater, and was heading backstage after rehearsal to ensure his props made their way back to the prop table  ~~because he really didn’t need back of house upset with him again for losing yet another crucial prop~~  to maintain organization. They had recently hired on a few new crew members, most of which Roman had had the fortune to meet, even if they hadn’t interacted too much yet.

One such crew member was already standing at the prop table, doing a recheck and going over the inventory before they all left for the evening. He seemed a bit perplexed as he did his check, Roman realizing he was probably looking for what he held in his hand.

“Oh! Hey there, are you looking for this?” He called out, holding up the small flashlight prop.

“Huh? Oh! Yes! Thank you, I was worried we were missing something!” The other man smiled, adorably, as his eyes took in the prop in his outstretched hand.

“Sorry to worry you! I was just going over that scene and hadn’t brought it back yet.” Roman laughed softly, holding out the item toward him.

“No problem! Thanks for bringing it to me!” He reached out to take it, the rather small item passing between them and causing their fingers to brush one another’s. They both let out a soft gasp as they did, Roman feeling that same tingling in his chest as he did when he crashed into Logan those months ago.

This time, Roman was wearing a button up, so he didn’t have to actually fully strip from the waist up to investigate the feeling. Swiftly unbuttoning the top few buttons, he pulled and shifted his shirt out of the way to reveal his rose tattoo. While it was still predominantly navy blue, it was adorned with light blue highlights throughout, giving the rose more definition. He looked up, seeing the adorable man before him had pushed up his right polo shirt sleeve, revealing a simple heart outline… Half filled in red, the other side still empty.

“….I’m Roman.” He said, breaking the silence and causing the other to look up at him.

“I’m Patton.” He responded, seeming conflicted. He was undoubtedly happy to have found his soulmate, but he had no idea why his tattoo had only half filled.

“…I have someone I think you’re going to want to meet.” Roman added, smiling warmly over his tattoo and causing Patton to look up and finally look at Roman’s rose, his mind gathering what he must mean. At this, Patton’s face lit up in one of the purest smiles Roman had ever seen, the small bespectacled man suddenly rushing forward and throwing his arms around him. He chuckled warmly and hugged him back securely, holding him close before the two of them left together to grab a bite to eat and talk.

The next morning was one where Roman and Logan would be meeting at the coffee shop. Roman let Patton know what time and where to be, having a feeling that he and Logan would be rather interested in meeting each other. It wasn’t until he and Patton had parted ways for the night that he realized there was a chance that Logan and Patton weren’t soulmates… What if they didn’t like each other at all? …He just had to refuse to believe that. He was sure they were meant to be. Patton was adorable and Logan was amazing. How could anyone not love them?

The next morning, Logan arrived as he normally did, getting to the coffee shop and getting his drink from Remy before sitting down at his and Roman’s usual table. It wasn’t long before Roman strolled in, Logan looking up with a smile but pausing slightly as there was someone with him. Before Logan could spend too much time thinking on it, his soulmate saw him and smiled, leading his companion right up to him.

“Lo! I want you to meet Patton. He works backstage at the theater.” Roman said smiling and nodding toward him.

Logan was a bit surprised, Roman hadn’t mentioned he’d be bringing someone for their weekly coffee date. But.. He was confident that Roman wouldn’t do something without reason. Logan simply gave the newcomer a greeting nod and held out a hand to shake.

“It’s nice to meet you, Patton. I’m Logan.”

“Hiya, Logan! It’s great to meet you!” He responded, eagerly shaking his hand and his eyes lighting up as he realized Roman was right. His outer right shoulder was tingling just like it had last night with Roman.

Logan was positively shocked, feeling the tingling once again and quickly flipping over his left arm to look at his black stack of books. There was… Another book colored in. A few away from Roman’s red, was a lovely light blue. He brought his arm up closer to his face to once again read the small title along the book’s spine. While it wasn’t in the fanciful script that Roman’s was in, it was still in lovely, looping cursive. It only took a moment before he realized it read “Tales From the Heart.”

After looking over the tattoos for a moment, Patton smiled wide and looked back at Logan, unable to contain his excitement and immediately stepping forward to throw his arms around him in a hug. The more serious one seemed surprised at first.. But he could already tell Patton was nothing if not a sweetheart. He brought his arms up, wrapping them around him in a hug and holding him for a good moment.

This was definitely going to be another thing worth integrating into his schedule.

—

Virgil was aware of soulmates and how all of that was supposed to work. How could he not be? Everyone he knew was obsessed with the idea. And it wasn’t that Virgil didn’t want a soulmate… He was just fairly disappointed in his own tattoo. He had seen so many tattoos that he felt really worked with the person they were on. But his own… It just didn’t. On the left side of his body, mostly on his side, somewhat on his ribs, was a large stained glass window. The segments of it were defined and it was a pretty cathedral shape… But it didn’t make any sense.

Besides that, even when he did find his soulmate… Why a stained glass window? It would fill in with a single color and just be a block of color with lines running through it? That was odd. So, it wasn’t like he didn’t want to find his soulmate… But he wasn’t exactly excited to see his tattoo once he did. But… Whatever. He didn’t dwell on it.

—

Virgil walked down the sidewalk, deciding a walk would be good for him that day. It was hot out, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to wear his signature hoodie. With his headphones on, he set off, heading toward the park to start before he began to wander. He had made a fair distance before he saw a group of three men walking along the sidewalk as well, coming toward him from the opposite direction. Virgil did his best not to draw attention to himself, or to be obvious as he looked over them. They were all so different, not seeming like the type who would be friends with each other. And each of them were so individually attractive in such different ways.

Maybe it was this line of gay thinking that caused him not to realize that he was slightly further into the center of the sidewalk than he intended. The first two of them managed to slip passed him on the side, but the third was much broader than his two bespectacled companions, him and Virgil brushing hands as he tried to side step the slightly zoned out emo.

Virgil and Roman both stopped dead in their tracks, turning back to look at each other. Roman’s hand softly made it’s way up to rest on his chest, feeling that familiar tingle for the third time. The two others had turned back as well when they realized they had started accidentally leaving Roman behind. Patton seemed to figure out what happened first and immediately bounded up to Virgil.

“Hi! I’m Patton!” He said excitedly, holding out a hand.

“….I’m Virgil.” He responded quietly and tentatively reached out to shake his hand, eyes blowing wide again as the tingling got stronger and Patton immediately began to giggle.

Logan walked up as well with a knowing look and also offered Virgil a hand, Virgil looked slightly shocked but silently taking his as well and feeling the feeling for the 3rd time in rapid succession. “I’m Logan.”

Patton pushed up his sleeve, revealing that his previously two tone heart was now an even gradient, going from deep red on the right side, purple in the center, and navy blue on the left. Logan flipped his arm over, showing that joining his two other colored books there was now a purple one in the stack, the clear bold title reading “Chasing the Storm” along it’s spine. They all turned to Roman… Their confident, bold, gorgeous, completely  _shameless_ Roman… Standing shirtless yet again.

Virgil was transfixed on Roman, Logan and Patton sharing an understanding look between them. Roman was looking down, of course, studying his tattoo which now had purple shading, bringing needed depth to the magnificent flower. Roman looked more than overjoyed at the development, all of them suddenly having the feeling that they were complete. A feeling that they hadn’t realized they had been missing.

They softly all turned their gaze to Virgil, who instantly began blushing like mad but slowly pulled his left arm out of his hoodie sleeve and let it hang half off before tentatively gripping the bottom hem of his t-shirt and carefully lifting it to reveal his tattoo. The gorgeous stained glass design completely filled in with three lovely colors, each one filling a few of the separate segments in an artful way. Even he looked down in awe at it, never thinking that his tattoo would look so beautiful.

“Whoa… That’s gorgeous.” Roman spoke, stepping forward to get a better look.

Virgil watched him, only blushing darker as his very muscular and still shirtless soulmate approached him to lean in and look at the skin of his side. Logan and Patton gave each other another knowing look at Virgil’s reaction to Roman’s… Manner of being. Logan turned his gaze back to Virgil, catching his eye.

“…This is something you’re probably going to have to get used to.” He deadpanned slightly, bringing a smile to Virgil’s face.


End file.
